Franchitti Collects Million Dollar BonusOct 11 - IndyCar's last race of the season was at Homestead yesterday evening. Three drivers were vying for the season championship. Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon and Ryan Briscoe needed to win. Franchitti's fuel-saving strategy payed off when the race went the entire distance without a single caution! Dixon and Briscoe, who had been leading, had to pit.

This is the first time an Indycar race has never had a single caution. The 200-mile race average speed was over 200 mph!

A day after winning the 2009 IndyCar® Series championship, Dario Franchitti was honored for his second title in three years.

Franchitti and Firestone Indy Lights® champion J.R. Hildebrand - along with other drivers, teams and manufacturers - were recognized during the Indy Racing League Championship Celebration poolside at the W Hotel on South Beach.

Brian Barnhart, president of the competition and operations division of the Indy Racing League, sanctioning body of the IndyCar Series, presented Franchitti with a $1 million championship bonus check and a mini IndyCar Series championship trophy. A mini IndyCar Series championship trophy also was awarded to Target Chip Ganassi Racing owner Chip Ganassi.

"In '07, there was a lot of satisfaction in getting that one done, and now to come back from where we were a year ago is very satisfying," said Franchitti, who won by 4.788 seconds to clinch the championship. "I think that's what makes it sweeter is we've got everybody together, and you've got a more balanced schedule, as well.

"That gives me really a lot of satisfaction, having to beat guys like ---- look down the list. Look at the drivers we're competing against, Ryan and certainly Scott at the top of that. To beat those guys and to beat Scott on team equipment, you've had a great year."

In addition to the championship bonus, Franchitti accepted the $10,000 Bosch Platinum Award and received a $100,000 diamond-encrusted champion's timepiece from Ritmo Mundo.

Raphael Matos of Luczo Dragon Racing accepted the $25,000 Apex-Brasil Rookie of the Year Award. Ryan Briscoeof Team Penske won the Raybestos Road & Street Challenge while Dan Wheldon of Panther Racing was awarded the Xtrac Championship Award and its $5,000 prize.

Hildebrand accepted the mini Firestone Firehawk Cup along with a $10,000 award for the Raybestos Road and Street Course Challenge for scoring the most points on road and street courses, a $5,000 prize as the winner of the Lucas Oil Frequent Pole Sitter Award, a $5,000 "Securing Tomorrow Award" from Gregory & Appel Insurance for winning the most races, the $5,000 Palmer Family Frequent Podium Award and the $10,000 Sunoco Most Improved Driver Award.

A Ganassi or Penske driver won every race this season except for Watkins Glen, where Justin Wilson gave Dale Coyne Racing its first win.

IndyCar Champion Dario Franchitti

Button New World ChampionOct 18 - The F1 championship has ended with one race to go. Rubens Barrichello started from pole at his home grand prix in Brazil. Once again, he failed to win it, to the crowd's chagrin. The first lap resulted in several accidents around the track. Then as some cars came out of the pits, one took off with the gas hose still attached, spraying gas all over Kimi Raikkonen's car, whose hot exhaust instantly ignited a plume of fire around his car briefly. The first laps was quite exciting.

Mark Webber won the race, but Barrichello and Sebastian Vettel, who were in contention for the championship, were unable to overcome Button's point lead.

Todt Will Run FIAOct 23 - former Scuderia Ferrari CEO and Ferrari F1 team principal Jean Todt was elected President of the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) for a four-year term by the FIA General Assembly at its annual meeting in Paris, France.

The FIA is a non-profit organization that oversees International events with sporting regulations and safety issues. Todt will replace Max Mosley who announced his retirement this year. Mosley was elected president of the FIA in 1993.

The freshly elected president has the important and daunting task to negotiate a new Concorde Agreement, an agreement between FIA, FOTA, FOM and Capital Partners (CVC), which is vital for the survival of Formula One.

Ross Brawn &Jenson Button

Jean Todt

Rossi Takes #9 in MotoGPOct 25 -Valentino Rossi finished third on the podium for the Malaysian GP, earning enough points to claim his ninth MotoGP World Championship title. The polesitter was scored has low as tenth in today's wet race, before fighting his way back to the final podium spot. Rossi earned his seventh crown in the premier class in superb form, even risking all to pass Fiat Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo.

The Doctor said, "It's a fantastic feeling to take this title with Yamaha again and I also must thank Bridgestone, who have done a great job with the tyres all year. My celebration was because in Italy we say an old chicken makes good soup but can no longer lay eggs! I am like the old chicken - 30 years now - but I have made another egg! That's nine!"

The flamboyant 30 y/o driver asked Ferrari for a test drive in their Formula One car to celebrate.